Comparison of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server vs Hibernate with H2 embedded

Each of the following tables focuses on a specific database operation, where the last table presents average results comparison.

Speed comparison of JPA database persistence operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	4.1	18.1	2.6	9.0	3.3	13.5
Element Collection Test	0.91	13.0	0.38	6.8	0.64	9.9
Inheritance Test	3.8	21.0	2.4	9.4	3.1	15.2
Indexing Test	6.0	29.9	6.4	18.4	6.2	24.1
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.91	17.2	0.77	20.1	0.84	18.7
Multithreading Test	18.0	36.9	8.3	11.5	13.1	24.2
All Tests	5.6	22.6	3.5	12.5	4.5	17.6

The results above show that in general Hibernate with H2 embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server in persisting JPA entity objects to the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (4.5) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (17.6) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 3.9 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using graphs of objects with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (0.77) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (20.1) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 26.1 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

Speed comparison of JPA database retrieval operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	1.7	16.6	7.6	13.3	4.6	15.0
Element Collection Test	0.73	4.3	0.63	4.0	0.68	4.1
Inheritance Test	1.5	10.4	9.3	17.5	5.4	13.9
Indexing Test	1.5	10.8	9.2	15.2	5.3	13.0
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	2.6	2.5	12.3	4.0	7.4	3.3
Multithreading Test	3.4	16.2	10.8	15.7	7.1	15.9
All Tests	1.9	10.1	8.3	11.6	5.1	10.9

The results above show that in general Hibernate with H2 embedded is more efficient than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server in retrieving JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (5.1) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (10.9) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 2.1 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

A large performance gap has been detected when using simple basic entities with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (1.7) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (16.6) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 9.8 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

On the other hand, Hibernate with H2 embedded is slower, for instance, when using graphs of objects with large retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (4.0) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (12.3) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 3.1 times slower than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

Speed comparison of JPA database query operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Retrieval Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	49.1	4.5	4.7	1.2	26.9	2.8
Element Collection Test	39.1	4.4	0.48	1.4	19.8	2.9
Inheritance Test	55.9	3.1	6.6	1.5	31.2	2.3
Indexing Test	0.048	6.6	6.4	10.5	3.2	8.6
Multithreading Test	failed	1.2	failed	0.59	failed	0.89
All Tests	36.0	4.0	4.5	3.0	20.3	3.5

DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server has failed in 2 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server is much more efficient than Hibernate with H2 embedded in executing the tested JPA queries. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (3.5) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (20.3) reveals that in these tests, DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server is 5.8 times faster than Hibernate with H2 embedded.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using class inheritance in the object model with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (3.1) to the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (55.9) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server is 18.0 times faster than Hibernate with H2 embedded.

On the other hand, DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server is slower, for instance, when using database indexes with small retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (0.048) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (6.6) reveals that in that case, DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server is 138 times slower than Hibernate with H2 embedded.

Speed comparison of JPA database update operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	2.1	12.1	0.84	6.5	1.5	9.3
Element Collection Test	1.4	7.4	0.64	5.3	1.0	6.3
Inheritance Test	2.1	10.8	1.2	8.5	1.7	9.6
Indexing Test	2.2	10.0	1.5	7.5	1.8	8.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.65	4.4	0.20	2.3	0.42	3.4
Multithreading Test	0.46	16.2	failed	4.0	0.46	10.1
All Tests	1.5	10.1	0.87	5.7	1.2	7.9

DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server has failed in 1 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general Hibernate with H2 embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server in updating JPA entity objects in the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (1.2) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (7.9) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 6.6 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using multithreading with small transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (0.46) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (16.2) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 35.2 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

Speed comparison of JPA database removal operations (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction Size =>	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	3.0	19.7	1.3	11.4	2.2	15.5
Element Collection Test	1.0	6.9	0.39	4.5	0.69	5.7
Inheritance Test	2.8	15.6	1.3	12.9	2.1	14.2
Indexing Test	5.4	23.2	1.9	12.4	3.7	17.8
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	0.38	4.0	0.37	4.2	0.37	4.1
Multithreading Test	13.8	27.4	failed	22.7	13.8	25.0
All Tests	4.4	16.1	1.1	11.4	2.9	13.7

DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server has failed in 1 tests (see exceptions).

The results above show that in general Hibernate with H2 embedded is much more efficient than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server in deleting JPA entity objects from the database. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (2.9) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (13.7) reveals that in these tests, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 4.7 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

A huge performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with large transaction size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (0.39) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (4.5) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 11.5 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

Comparison of JPA/Database speed - the averages (normalized score, higher is better)

Transaction/Retrieval Size	Few Entities		Many Entities		Average Score
	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded	DataNucleus PostgreSQL server	Hibernate H2 embedded
Basic Person Test	12.0	14.2	3.4	8.3	7.7	11.2
Element Collection Test	8.6	7.2	0.50	4.4	4.6	5.8
Inheritance Test	13.2	12.2	4.2	9.9	8.7	11.0
Indexing Test	3.0	16.1	5.1	12.8	4.0	14.5
Graph (Binary Tree) Test	1.1	7.0	3.4	7.7	2.3	7.3
Multithreading Test	8.9	19.6	9.5	10.9	9.1	15.2
All Tests	8.0	12.9	3.8	9.0	6.0	11.0

The results above show that in general Hibernate with H2 embedded is more efficient than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server in performing JPA database operations.

A large performance gap has been detected when using JPA element collections with large transaction/retrieval size. Comparing the normalized speed of DataNucleus with PostgreSQL database server (0.50) to the normalized speed of Hibernate with H2 embedded database (4.4) reveals that in that case, Hibernate with H2 embedded is 8.8 times faster than DataNucleus with PostgreSQL server.

JPA Performance Benchmark (JPAB)